Choices to Be Made
by EverythingIsMagic
Summary: InuxKago Naraku defeated and the Shikon no Tama completed and in her care, Kagome reflects on what it means, the battle itself, and what she knows she needs to do with the jewel- give it to the one person who desired it at the beginning- InuYasha.
1. Part One

This is a one shot written for a fanfiction challenge on the "InuYasha" fanfiction community I moderate on livejournal. _http:// www. livejournal. com /community/ inuyasha_fanfic _(remove spaces) I'm the moderator of the community, so obviously I can't enter myself, but none the less… I decided to challenge myself to write some of the prompts for fun. 

This is the prompt used: Post battle with Naraku- The Shikon no Tama has been completed, and two people are discussing it. (Whether it be what to do with it, how it has changed their lives, or anything else regarding that infamous sparkly pink jewel.

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Summary: (InuxKago) Naraku defeated and the Shikon no Tama completed and in her care, Kagome reflects on what it means, the battle itself, and what she knows she needs to do with the jewel- give it to the one person who desired it at the beginning- InuYasha. 

This story is in two short parts… cut where I felt the natural stopping point was. It's from Kagome's point of view and it's InuYasha/Kagome. 

Read, Review, Enjoy. 

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**Choices to Be Made**

--Part One--

Kelly O'Connor

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The Shikon no Tama--- the tiny pink sphere I held in my hands was the source of so much pain. I couldn't help but feel a tinge of guilt that I was the one whose arrow shattered it. I suppose it would have ended up the same somehow though. After removing the shard from Kohaku, and after Kouga-kun handed his two shards over the jewel was immediately given to me. I was originally supposed to be the guardian of it, even though I failed that job. Now though--- I knew there was something else I had to do with it. 

…InuYasha…

I _had_ to give it to him. I _wanted_ him to have it. He deserved it after all he'd been through because of it. But what would he… do with it? I'd long since figured out that InuYasha didn't want to become full youkai any longer. There was just no reason for him to was there? After all, no matter what InuYasha told me about wanting to gain strength by becoming full youkai, I knew better. InuYasha just wanted acceptance--- and he had that now. 

However, I suppose there was an underlying tiny tinge of worry; what if what InuYasha did with the Shikon no Tama changed him into something that just wasn't InuYasha anymore? A full Youkai InuYasha--- well look what happened when he went berserk. I shuddered involuntarily. I wasn't sure I could bear to see him become anything that wasn't InuYasha, the Hanyou that I'd come to care for so deeply. 

Yes, I had come to care for him. Love him even, I admitted it to myself along time ago. Love a boy from five hundred years in the past, who could have guessed such a thing could happen? Not even Jiichan would believe something like that could occur in our family. Yet here I am in Sengoku Jidai, after falling through the well that I had known was part of the shrine forever, but had never suspected there was truly something interesting about it. 

Now I'm a part of history, a part of a history I would never have thought could have existed. A world crawling with youkai, a sacred jewel… they were like things out of a folk tale or a fantasy. Yet I was living them. The very boy I had grown fond of was half-human half-youkai. I never would have thought such a boy could exist. In his case though, it didn't matter. He was just InuYasha, and what he was hardly ever crossed my mind. I didn't care. 

Once we had defeated Naraku, a lot of things were resolved on their own. Kouga-kun gave his two shards to me, and left, although it's little doubt he'll be back with his amorous advances sometime in the future, Miroku's Kazaana disappeared and presumably he'll follow through with his promise to wed Sango-chan in time. Kohaku was revived with Sesshoumaru's Tenseiga once his shard was removed. Apparently the friendship between Kohaku and little Rin was enough to get the cold-hearted Sesshoumaru to revive him. 

Kikyou was lost during the battle though… and although at first I had expected devastation from InuYasha regarding it--- instead he had been able to talk to her as she lay dying. Because of that I suppose, he came away from that with a look of slight sorrow in his eyes, but also one of hope. 

Her last arrow, combined with one from me, and a Bakuryuuha from InuYasha had been enough to take out a, by this point, weakened Naraku. However, she infused enough power into that last arrow that it finally exhausted her spiritual energy. As Naraku disintegrated to dust… InuYasha and I noticed the souls leaving her body. He had gone over and spoken to her, and I didn't interrupt. I knew this needed to be done, but I could hear it. Kikyou had accepted her fate, now that Naraku was defeated, she felt her soul could come to rest. 

This made me happy, not because she was now gone, but because despite any troubles in the past--- I wished Kikyou happiness just like I would anyone else. She also told InuYasha that he should move on as well. Move on to what? I had wondered at first, but InuYasha didn't ask her that question. For some reason… I got the impression that he knew the answer.

After Miroku said a prayer for Kikyou's safe passing we walked away from the battlefield, battered and torn, but alive nonetheless, and with a completed Shikon no Tama in our possession. 

This tiny jewel… I turned it around in my hand, watching as the moonlight reflected off its pearly pink surface. I'd had it in my possession for only a day now, but already I knew that I had to give it to who I believed it should go to. That someone had been out in the branches of the Goshinboku for a couple hours now--- presumably thinking over the events of the past forty-eight hours. I'd granted him his solitude for a while, as I know he is someone who needs it at times. Now though, I felt was the best time to talk to InuYasha about this.

I glanced behind me, I had been sitting outside Kaede-baachan's hut for quite a while now, and the warmth of the fire within called to me, but I had something much more important to do than warm my hands at a fire. With a small smile, I stood up and made my way away from the hut--- to the place I had first met InuYasha, the ancient tree- Goshinboku. 


	2. Part Two

This is the second and last part of this. Read, review, enjoy. ^^;

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**Choices to Be Made**

--Part Two--

Kelly O'Connor

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Clutching the jewel to my chest, I let out a sigh._ Whatever decision he makes… I'll be okay with it_… _I think._ I thought to myself as I reflected on my earlier thoughts regarding what InuYasha would choose to do with the jewel. I shook my head and made my way over to the Goshinboku that I knew InuYasha was lounging in at the moment. "Neh, InuYasha," I looked up and inquired softly. 

He made a slight noise acknowledging my presence and quickly leapt down from the branches, landing with a soft thud in front of me. I cleared my throat and looked to my feet.

"So… what were you doing up there?" I managed to get out. I was pretty sure I knew what he had been doing. He'd just achieved one of his life goals of defeating Naraku and was probably fairly overwhelmed with thought regarding it. However, I was nervous, and I wondered if InuYasha sensed that at all. I could see him surveying my expression for a moment before simply shrugging.

"Thinking and… stuff. Keh- why do you want to know?" I smiled to myself, typical InuYasha answer. 

"Just wondering… I uh…" My sentence was cut off when InuYasha's eyes averted to the object I held in my hands.

"Kagome!" His eyes widened, "What are you doing with the Shikon?" I opened my mouth to explain but InuYasha continued. "You're going to get yourself killed stupid! Youkai are going to come after that thing and… at this time of night…"

"It's for you!" I stammered out before he could finish reprimanding me. InuYasha jumped back, a startled look in his eyes. 

"Wh-what?"

"The Shikon no Tama. It's yours InuYasha." I repeated myself quickly, still nervous and hesitant about it all, then moved a bit closer to him and switched my gaze to his hands, which he held clenched at his sides. The look on his face was one of pure astonishment, and he seemed rather frozen in surprise. I took advantage of this opportunity and shakily reached over to clasp one of his hands gently in my own, and to carefully unclench his fist. I placed the jewel in his opened hand, closed his fingers over it. With a cautious smile, I took the hand I had placed the Shikon no Tama in and pressed it up against his chest.

"You're giving it to me?" He finally managed to stutter. I simply nodded. "Why?" the tone of his voice was cautious, yet curious and questioning, a tone of voice I rarely from him. I sighed and looked him straight in the eyes, before faltering a bit and averting my eyes to InuYasha's chest, where he still held the jewel. 

"I decided a long time ago InuYasha," I said delicately. "You originally set out on this journey with me so you could complete the Shikon no Tama for your own use. You've worked hard and I… I want you to have it." InuYasha unclenched his fist and began to roll the jewel in his hand.

"Kagome…"

"I trust you InuYasha." I smiled and made complete eye contact with him. This time my gaze did not waver. InuYasha quickly looked away from me, and a frown crossed his face as he stared at the object in his hand.

"There's nothing I can do with this." He stated simply. My heart jumped in my chest and I grinned widely. InuYasha gave me a strange look when he noticed my beaming smile but continued. "I won't use it but… I'll keep it."

"InuYasha." I said relieved. To tell the truth, I knew deep within me that InuYasha would make the right decision. I trusted him wholeheartedly. But… it still felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest. 

"What happened to Kikyou… I don't want it to happen, and I don't want..." He lowered his voice to a hoarse whisper--- the tone he used when he was most concerned, "I don't want you hurt either." I found myself with a light blush.

"I understand." I replied after a moment of thought. "Thank you," I finished gently. InuYasha nodded and continued.

"So I'll keep it… I'll guard it and I can keep it safer without… bad stuff happening." He cut himself off. I could tell he was nervous, but that was okay, I was just so pleased with the decision he had made.

"Fine then InuYasha," I beamed cheerfully. "You can guard the Shikon but… I'm going to help you." InuYasha crossed his arms across his chest. 

"Keh- like I need help!" He retorted quickly.

"How do you know you won't? I want to help, and I'm supposed to anyway!" I answered a bit playfully. InuYasha crossed his arms.

"Well fine, but I'm still not gonna need it!" He argued rather lamely. I shook my head and shrugged good-naturedly, in too cheery a mood to even argue. I then proceeded to snatch InuYasha's free hand in mine. His face reddened a bit, but he clasped his hand around mine in return.

"Let's go back to the village InuYasha." I paused and looked over to him, "It's getting late." InuYasha nodded and we began a slow paced walk together to Kaede's hut, both of us taking our time, and both of us, thinking on what the future had in store. _I'm glad it happened this way. If InuYasha and I protect the Shikon together, if we trust each other like we have for so long… everything will be perfectly okay. I just know it will be. _

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A.N.- This fic was once part of a huge post battle with Naraku perspective piece called "Aftermath." I decided some parts of it will never be written, but most likely many planned parts will be posted as one shots at later points. ^^

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